Improved machine for planing- iron



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Letters Patent No. 99,409, dated February 1, 1870.

IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PLANING- IRON.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

' To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. OoucH, of the city and county of \Vorcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Iron-Planers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan view of so much ofan ironplaner as is necessary to illustrate my improvement.

Figure 2 represents a side view of the same, the shafts being shown in section at line A B, fig. 1.

Figure 3 represents a front view of the same.

Figure 4 represents the internal mechanism of the broad gear, and

Figure 5 represents a central section of the shiftinggear and its supporting-stud.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs, to make and use the same, Iwill proceed to describe it more in detail.

This improvement relates to the feed-apparatus of iron-planing machines, and consists in the combination with the gears which operate the feeding-devices, of an intermediate shifting-gear, as hereafter'described.

In the drawings- The part marked A represents aportion of the bed.

B, a part of one of the posts; and

G, a part of the cross-head of an iron-planer.

In the cross-head G is arranged the screw D, for giving the cutting-tool the horizontal movement, usually called the cross-feed, and the rod E, for giving the tool the vertical movement, usually called the down-feed.

The construction of all these parts, and their connection with the cutting-tool, are well known, and need not, therefore, be particularly described.

Firmly attached to the screw D, where its end projects from the cross-head C, is a gear, (I, and to the end of rod E is attached, in like manner, a similar gear, 0. These gears cl and e are separated laterally by a distance a little greater than the width of their respective faces, as shown in the drawings.

Projecting from the end of the cross-head O, and firmly secured therein, is a stud, F, upon which is hung and turns an intermediate gear, f, the face of which is the same width as the faces of the gears d and c.

The hub g of the gear f is extended outward, and is provided with a flange, h, at its outer end, to serve as a handle, by means of which the gear f may be shifted to ditferent positions along the stud 1 so that it will mesh with the gear d, to operate the cross-feed, or with gear 0 to operate the down-feed, or it may be placed in a central position, between the two, as shown in the drawings, so that it will operate neither.

A recess is formed in the lower side of the stud F,

in which is arranged adog-pin, m, provided with a coil spring that presses it outward, while three grooves, 12,

"are formed around the inner side of the hub g, into which the point of the dog-pin enters, and thereby prevents the gear f from working out of place.

It will be understood that the three grooves n correspond to the three positions of the gear f, as heretofore described.

The point of the dog-pin m is so formed, that the gear can readily be moved by the hand of the operator, when required.

The stud F, is provided, at its outer end, with a stopnut, It, and at its inner end with a shoulder, 0-, to prevent the gear f from being moved too far in either direction.

The gear f derives its motion from a broad gear, G, that is arranged on a shaft, H, which'shaft is supported by the bearing I atthe back side of the crosshead 0.

The face of the broad gear G is as wide as the distance from the outer side of gear (1 to the inner side secured to the end of the shaft H.

The ratchet-dog J is so constructed that the gear G is operated when the shaft H is moved in one direction, but when the shaft H is moved in the other 'direction, the ratchet-dog J slips overt-he notches on the wheel K, and the gear G remains quiet.'

The direction in which the gear G is operated may be reversed by swinging the ratchet, so that its opposit-e point is brought in contact with the wheel 70, 'or it may be so adjusted that neither point will engage therewith;

The position of the ratchet-dog is changed by means of the thumb-head s, which projects from the side of the gear G, and it is held in its different positions by means of a spring-pin, 'w, the point of which fit-s into depression in the cap-plate of the gear G.

A reciprocating-motion is imparted to the shaft H, by means of the ragk M, arranged in the side of the post B, and which meshes into a gear, N, secured t9 the inner end of the shalt H.

The rack M may be moved up and down by the lever I, in connection'with other parts of the machine, which are not shown or, if preferred, any other suitable device may be used for imparting an intermittent motion to the gear G.

The operation of my improved device is quite simple, and can be readily understood at sight by the most ordinary workman.

When the gear f is slid along the stud F, so as to engage with the gear 0, it communicates the intermittent motion from the gear G to rod E, by which the down-feed is operated. The erossfeed is, in like manner, caused to operate, by sliding the gear f in the opposite direction until it engages with the gear 01, and when in the intermediate position, the feedmotions are absolutely disconnected, so that it will be seen that mistakes are impossible, as the down-feed and cross-feed cannot both he in operation at the same time, an accident which, with the ordinary feeding, devices, often causes much damage to the work.

Another advantage is that it contains noloose pieces,

which requireto be taken off and laid down, in making the changes, as is the case withvsome devices used for these purposes.

It is instantaneous and positive in its operation. and

accomplishes its object in the abovecomplete manner by the use of few and simple parts, of strong form and easy construction, thereby saving much time and labor in its use, and at the same time being comparatively clreap, and very durable.

Having described my improvements in iron-planers,

What I claim therein as new, and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the lateral and vertical feedscrews of an iron-planer, of the feed-gears d, e, and G, and sliding-gear f, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ALFRED B. COUCH.

W'itnesses:

Tnos. H. Donen. ALBERT E. Pnmen. 

